Facial mask with vibrating means



y 7, 1968 K. R. RUNDE 3,381,683

FACIAL MASK WITH VIBRATING MEANS Filed June 21, 1965 INVENTOR. KENNETHR. RUNDE United States Patent 3,381,683 FACIAL MASK WITH VIBRATING MEANSKenneth R. Runde, 6626 Christopher Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63129 FiledJune 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,515

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-63) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A face mask forcosmetic and therapeutic purposes made of porous material which haslateral expansion but which is relatively inexpansi-ble longitudinallyalong straps which extend from under an expansible chin pocket along thejaw bone and past the top of the head. The straps may be connected toeccentric trunnions on the ends of a rotating shaft to impart vibrationto the face and underchin areas of the subject being massaged.

The invention pertains to a facial mask for cosmetic and therapeuticpurposes and more particularly to a facial mask to impart vibration to awearer.

An object of this invention is to provide a mask, applicable withoutopenings for the mouth, nose or eyes,

which imparts vibration to the fleshy parts of the face and neck withoutsevere vibration to the bony structure of the chin and jaw.

Another object is to provide one mask which will adjust to fit a smallface as Well as a large face.

Still another object is to provide a washable mask, porous enough to seeand breathe through yet capable of completely covering the face in orderto impart vibration to the whole face.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a view of the invention attached to a vibrator and positionedon a user.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the face mask blank before fabrication.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the material used in the mask.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the chin pocket when closed. 'FIG. 5 is across-sectional view 55 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is .a plan view of the neckstrap before fabrication. 7

FIG. 7 shows the front view of the joined neck strap. FIG. 8 is a viewof the lower portion of the mask with the chin pocket spread open.

The mask of the present invention is designed to be used with a facialvibrator. Such a vibrator is described in my pending application Ser.No. 455,934 filed May 14, 1965. The mask of the present invention may beused whether the wearer is seated in a recliner chair or lying on a bedor couch. FIG. 1, shows the application of the mask, M, on a wearer,with his head resting on the upper portion of a recliner chair, 22.Vibration is attained when the straps, 11 and 11', of the mask, M, areconnected to the vibrator by snap fasteners, 14 and 14'. Straps 18, and18, are attached to eccentric trunnions 19 and 19, which are positionedon each end of a rotating shaft propelled by an electric motor, 20, andwhich is controlled by motor switch, 21. The intensity of vibration isregulated by the user moving his head downward to increase the tautnessand thus increase the transmission of the vibration to the user.

Vibration of the face and neck muscles is desirable for treatment ofvarious sinus conditions as well as for relaxation, and when diligentlyused, will tighten the sag ging muscles which appear as a result ofdieting or advancing years. Vibration starts at the top surface of theskin and reaches into the subcutaneous tissues as evidenced by the pinkglow of the skin after ten minutes of vibration. In addition, thevibration is transferred into deep muscle areas. The pleasantstimulating effects of vibration are felt for some time after thevibration has ceased and the user has returned to his normal tasks. Themask is extremely beneficial when used without the application of toningcreams. However, it may be used with creams, such as vanishing, toningand feeding creams as often as one feels a desire to do so. Daily use isbeneficial with or without creams. Inasmuch as creams are not readilyabsorbed by the non-woven material in the mask, more cream is absorbedby the skin. However, the mask is washable and can be used many times.

The facial mask may be used as a cover for cream in the manner of masksillustrated in the prior art by placing the mask on the face, andfastening the ends of the neck strap together back of the head to holdthe mask on the user.

The flexible, porous, preferably non-woven material, B, FIG. 3, fromwhich the mask is made, has lateral expansion while it is relativelyinexpansible longitudinally along the strap and face portions, butcontracts transverselywhen tension is applied to the straps. This isimportant economically because one mask can be stocked which will fitusers with narrow faces as well as users with wide faces. It is a maskwith no openings for the eyes, nose or mouth. The porosity of the maskmaterial allows the wearer to see and breathe freely through the same.Experiment has shown that openings for the nose, mouth or eyes cannot belocated on a mask in such a way as to fit all of the wide variation inthe location of these members on various sized faces. It is importantthat the mask be continuous so that vibration will be imparted to theentire face and neck of the wearer. If eye, nose and mouth openings werepermitted, these openings would result in discontinuity of thelongitudinal tension on the face portion, and would interfere with thetransverse adjustment of the mask to the face, as well as reducing thevibration imparted to the face. Tension is necessary across the face,yet the mask must fit snugly under the chin during vibration but notbear tightly against the bony structure of the tip of the chin.

The uplift action of the :applicants neck strap and whole mask action,holding tissues gently in the upward position, counteracts the sag onmost fleshy persons. When vibration is imparted to the bony structure ofthe face, particularly the chin, it has a jarring effect which is to beavoided. The applicants mask, as shown in FIG. 1, has an integralexpansible pocket for the chin to avoid the aforementioned jarringeffect. Because of the transverse adjustment of the mask and the neckstrap portion of the :applicants invention, gentle and effectivevibration is imparted to the" skin and muscles of the face and the areabelow the chin.

The mask may be fabricated from non-woven material, shown in FIG. 3,whose porosity is attained by spaced diamond or elliptical shapedapertures throughout. Any material may be used where lateral expansioncan be attained while at the same time, tautness is attained in thelongitudinal direction when a slight pull is provided for the purpose.The material may be sewn with synthetic thread so as not to shrink whenthe mask is laundered, or the mask may be cemented with rubber cement orother suitable adhesives. The mask may also be molded of suitableexpansible porous material into the configuration shown in FIG. 1.

Before the face mask blank is fabricated, it has a straight horizontaltop edge, 1, as shown in FIG. 2, and side edges, 2 and 2', which extendlongitudinally to a depth slightly longer than the width of the topedge. The outline of the flat blank is approximately the shape of acaternary curve along 2, 2'. Using a center line 3, 3, on a flat blank,a point is located approximately one-sixth the length of each side, 2,2, as shown at 4, 4'. The material marked by these points is broughtinto abutment over the center line 3, 3', from a point intermediate thecenter line 3, 3' as shown at 5, to the bottom end of the center line,3. An equal portion of material from each side is brought to the center.Then the edges are tacked by fastening with stitching as shown at 10, orby other suitable means, tacking over the folds 6 and 6'. In this areathe material is three thicknesses in depth, layers, 8, 8', the undersideof the fold, 7, 7', and the outside, BC, as shown in FIG. 5. Instead ofbeing a flat piece as shown in FIG. 2, the face portion now assumes atent-like configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, wherein the folds, from thepoint 5, intermediate the center line and extending through 6, 6, drawthe sides, 2, 2, of the blank together so that the portion C is nolonger a flat blank. Though the pocket of the mask unworn has aconfiguration as shown in FIG. 4, when the mask is in use, the wearerschin turns the pocket partially inside out and the chin is covered thenlargely by a single thickness of material, 9, with a small triangularfold 7, 7 of material on either side of the chin to allow expansion ofmaterial and thus prevent jarring vibration from being imparted to thebony structure of the chin.

The neck strap portion, 11, is constructed of two similar parts and isjoined on the center edge as shown in FIG. 7, at 16, at a slight angle,12. The neck strap encompasses the area under the chin more effectivelyand the side portions of the strap extend along the jaws with ends thatextend beyond the face mask portion. Each end, 15, has suitablefastenings for attachment to straps, 18, 18', connected to rotatingeccentric trunnions attached to the shaft of a vibrator. These may besnaps as shown at 14', in FIG. 1, or apertures as shown in FIG. 6, at14, said apertures to fit over snap fasteners attached to the strap, 18,18', which is connected to the eccentric trunnions on a vibrator and areheld in place by snap fasteners, 14'. The strap ends may be doubled overfor reinforcement as shown at 13, and reinforced with stitching, 15, orsuitable cement, or both, to give added wearing ability to the materialaround the apertures or snaps.

The neck strap, S, is joined to the face mask portion, C, at the centersof each, shown at 12, and 3', and the neck strap is joined to each sideof the face portion, C, at the outer edges of both of them as shown at17, in FIG. 8, to form a continuous line encompassing the area under thechin and having side portions that extend along the jaw with ends thatextend beyond the face mask portion, as shown in FIG. 1.

The neck portion may be attached to the face portion by sewing the partstogethed, or cementing them, using materials impervious to grease orcreams, such as cured rubber, or the face and neck portions may beformed from one-piece of material into the configuration shown. Caremust be taken to start at 3' to join the neck strap to the face portion,in order to prevent a pucker from forming at the end of the sewing orother means of fastening, which fault usually happens when the operationis started at the other end. This is important because a pucker willadversely affect the fit of the face portion on the user.

The mask may be formed of porous material similar to that previouslydescribed. It is formed in one piece wherein the facial mask encompassesthe area under the chin and extends over the entire face. An expansiblechin pocket is formed in the face portion and the mask has side portionsthat extend along the jaws with straps that extend beyond the faceportion.

While there are disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of theinvention herein presented, it is possible to produce still otherembodiments Without departing from the inventive concept disclosed, andit is desired therefore that only such limitations be imposed on theappended claims as are stated therein.

I claim:

1. A face mask for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes,- comprising,

a continuous face mask portion,

an expansible chin pocket in the same,

a neck strap joined to said face mask at the outer edges of bothportions, 1

said neck strap to encompass the area under the chin and having sideportions that extend along the jaws with ends that extend beyond theface mask portion,

means for applying vibration under tension to the same,

said mask made of porous material which has lateral expansion whilebeing relatively inexpansible longitudinally along said straps and faceportions, but which contracts transversely when tension is applied tothe straps.

2. The combination of a vibrating apparatus, having a rotating shafttherethrough and an eccentric trunnion in each end of the shaft, and

a face mask, comprising,

a continuous face mask portion,

an expansible chin pocket in the same,

a neck strap joined to said face mask at of both portions,

said neck strap to encompass the area under the chin and having sideportions that extend along the jaws with ends that extend beyond theface mask portion,

means for connecting said extending strap ends to the eccentrictrunnions,

said mask made of porous material which has lateral expansion whilebeing relatively inexpansible longitudinally along said straps and faceportions, but

which contracts transversely when vibration under tension is applied tothe straps.

3. A facial mask for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes, comprising,

a one piece, formed, facial mask, which encompasses the area under thechin and extends over the entire face and having side portions thatextend along the jaws, with straps that extend beyond the face portion,

means for applying vibration under tension to the same,

an expansible chin pocket in the face portion,

said mask made of porous material which has lateral expansion, whilerelatively inexpansible longitudinally along said straps and faceportions, but which contracts transversely when tension is applied tothe straps.

4. The combination of a vibrating apparatus having a rotating shafttherethrough and an eccentric trunnion on each end of the shaft, and

a one-piece, formed, facial mask, which encompasses the area under thechin and extends over the entire face and having side portions thatextend along the jaws with straps that extend beyond the face portion,

means for connecting said extending straps to the eccentric trunnions,

an expansible chin pocket in the face portion,

said mask made of porous material which has lateral expansion Whilerelatively inexpansible longitudinally along said straps and faceportions, but which contracts transversely when tension is applied tothe the outer edges straps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,509,519 5/ 1950 Norris.2,134,640 10/ 1938 Merkin. 2,705,952 4/ 1955 Becker. 2,728,3 39 12/ 1955Elmhurst.

494,775 4/ 1893 Bolgiano.

780,616 1/1905 Palmer 128-163 2,226,609 12/ 1940 Hapman. 2,728,33912/1955 Elmhurst 128-76 L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

